Machine for drinking water to be heated/cooled instantly

ABSTRACT

A machine for drinking water adapted to instantly heat/cool the water for drinking, it includes: a main body provided with an operation panel and a water providing outlet, a water storage barrel, a pump for drawing the water, and a heating unit and/or a cooling unit, a user can thus operates the operation panel to render the water for drinking to be instantly heated or cooled and to flow out of the water providing outlet for being drunk instantly, the machine for drinking water of the present invention does not need to be provided with a heat preservation tank or a coolness preservation tank, but the user can get hot water or ice water instantly, this can largely reduce exhausted electric quantity and occupied space.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the invention

The present invention is related to a machine for drinking water, and specially to a machine for drinking water that does not need to be provided with a heat preservation tank or coolness preservation tank, while a user can get hot water or ice water through instant heating/cooling.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A conventional machine for drinking water can provide people with ice water or hot water of different temperatures for drinking, the structure of such machine includes a heating unit for boiling water, and a cooling unit for cooling hot water, a plurality of water storage tanks respectively for storing hot water, warm water, ice water and for heat preservation, coolness preservation; and a sensor unit for sensing the water temperatures in the water storage tanks. When the machine for drinking water is running, water for drinking is boiled in the first place by the heating unit and led to the heat preservation tank for storing the hot water, then the hot water is led through a water pipe to the cooling unit for cooling, then is conveyed to the warm water storage tank for heat preservation or to the ice water storage tank for coolness preservation to store the water, and then a user can get the water for drinking of different temperatures from the warm water storage tank for heat preservation or to the ice water storage tank for coolness preservation.

Moreover, the sensor unit for sensing the temperatures of water of the conventional machine for drinking water carries out temperature sensing for the warm water storage tank for heat preservation or the ice water storage tank for coolness preservation at any time, for instance, when it is sensed that the temperature in the hot water storage tank for heat preservation is too low, or the temperature in the ice water storage tank for coolness preservation is too high, the cooling unit or the heating unit will be activated for cooling hot water or for heating water, so that the machine for drinking water always is in the state of running, this increases the exhausted electric quantity, plus the three water storage tanks provided in the conventional machine for drinking water, a defect of occupying a huge space exists.

Therefore, a heating type machine for drinking water is disclosed in the market, such a heating type machine for drinking water includes a water storage barrel for storing and discharging the water for drinking, a water pump for pumping the water for drinking out of the water storage barrel, an electric heating apparatus for instantly heating the water for drinking and a water providing outlet; a user manipulates a control key on the machine for drinking water can render the water for drinking flowing through the electric heating apparatus to be heated instantly, so that the user can take hot water for drinking from the water providing outlet.

A conventional technique CN201779861 is exactly an electric heating apparatus applied on a heating type machine for drinking water; the electric heating apparatus has a metallic housing in which a water inlet pipe and a water outlet pipe are provided, the metallic housing is formed by combining and sealing of an upper housing and a lower housing, the upper housing is printed on one of its surfaces with a heat emitting electric circuit, in order that the water for drinking flowing through the housing can be heated instantly, while the lower housing is provided between the upper housing and the lower housing with a supporting rib for separating the inner space to form a tortuous water channel.

In actual production of businessmen, an electric heating apparatus is made of stainless steel, the stainless steel can be one of various specifications according to the proportion of the element added in it, wherein for those being applied on the utensils as food containers, the specifications SUS430, 304 and 316 etc. are adopted, of which the price of the SUS430 is cheaper, but is easier to have the heat emitting electric circuit printed on a surface as compared with the SUS304 and 316, whereas the SUS304 and 316 are provided with the character of higher and better durability against acid and alkaline as compared with the SUS430 but have much expensive prices than that of the SUS430, and are uneasy to have the heat emitting electric circuit printed on the surface.

Businessmen adopt the specification SUS430 for the upper housing of an electric heating apparatus, while adopt the specification SUS304 or 316 for the lower housing, in order that the upper housing can be conveniently printed with heat emitting electric circuit. However, in the process of heating of the electric heating apparatus, the specification SUS430 is subjected to releasing the metal manganese which seeps into the water for drinking, thus it can be harmful to health of people; while if the businessmen adopt instead the specification SUS304 or 316 for printing the heat emitting electric circuit, the cost of production will be larger, and the process of production will be more complicated, thus the requirement of getting sanity and safety of food as well as the lesser cost for production will unable be both earned.

In view of the above stated, the inventor of the present invention developed a machine for drinking water that can get hot water or ice water through instant heating/cooling based on his study and practical experience in the related field for many years, the machine solves the problem of having a defect of increasing the exhausted electric quantity by heat preservation and coolness preservation and a defect of occupying a huge space, as well as a defect of being subjected to releasing the metal manganese which seeps into the water for drinking as is the case of the conventional machine for drinking water having an electric heating apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a machine for drinking water that can instantly heat/cool the water for drinking, the machine for drinking water is saved from being provided with a heat preservation tank or coolness preservation tank, in order that a user can get hot water or ice water instantly by manipulating an operation panel, this can largely reduce exhausted electric quantity and occupied space.

To achieve the object, the machine for drinking water of the present invention that can instantly heat/cool the water for drinking includes:

a main body being a rectangular body, its front face is recessed to forma space for taking water for drinking by a user, a water providing outlet is provided above the space forgiving the water, the top surface of the main body is provided with an operation panel, and a bottom base is provided on the back of the main body;

a water storage barrel for storing the water for drinking is provided above the bottom base on the back of the main body, and a pumping hole is provided on the bottom of the water storage barrel for providing the water for drinking;

a pump for drawing the water for drinking is provided on the bottom of the main body and is connected with the pumping hole provided on the bottom of the water storage barrel, for the purpose of pumping out the water for drinking from inside of the water storage barrel to be discharged from the pumping hole;

a heating unit and/or a cooling unit provided on a lateral side of the main body to be connected between the pump and the water providing outlet, for the purpose of instantly heating or cooling the water for drinking flowing and passing by the heating unit and/or the cooling unit; and

an electric circuit board provided on the bottom of the main body to be connected with the operation panel, the pump and the heating unit and/or the cooling unit, it can control operating of the operation panel , the pump and the heating unit and/or the cooling unit.

After the user operates the operation panel, the pump draws out the water for drinking of the water storage barrel through the pumping hole, then renders the water for drinking to flow through the heating unit and/or the cooling unit to be instantly heated or cooled, and to be discharged from the water providing outlet on the main body for drinking by the user; hence the machine for drinking water does not need to be provided with a heat preservation tank or a coolness preservation tank, but the user can get hot water or ice water instantly, this can largely reduce exhausted electric quantity and occupied space.

The description below further states the mode of practice of various components:

When in practice, the above stated heating unit and/or the cooling unit includes a cavity being sealed, and a heating plate or cooling plate which is lapped over a lateral outside surface of the cavity, the two ends of the cavity are provided respectively with a water inlet and a water outlet connected with each other via a hollow area of it, the water inlet has an inlet pipe connecting with the pump, while the water outlet has an outlet pipe connecting with the water providing outlet on the main body, so that the water for drinking flowing from the water storage barrel through the cavity can be instantly heated or cooled by the heating plate or cooling plate.

With the above stated structure, the heating plate or cooling plate is lapped over a lateral outside surface of the cavity, it not only can instantly heat or cool the water for drinking in the cavity, but also when the water for drinking flows through the cavity, it will not contact the heating plate or cooling plate directly, thus in the process of heating or cooling, the heavy metal on the heating plate or cooling plate will not be resolved into the water to harm the human body.

When in practice, the heating unit and/or the cooling unit includes a first cavity being sealed, a heating plate is lapped over a lateral outside surface of the first cavity, and a second cavity being sealed, a cooling plate is lapped over a lateral outside surface of the second cavity, the two ends of the first cavity and the two ends of the second cavity are provided respectively each with an inlet and an outlet connected with one another via the hollow areas of the cavities, the water inlets each has an inlet pipe connecting with the pump, while the water outlets each has an outlet pipe connecting with the water providing outlet on the main body, by control of operating of the operation panel, a user can control the water for drinking flowing through the first cavity to be instantly heated by the heating plate, or can control the water for drinking flowing through the second cavity to be instantly cooled by the cooling plate.

And in practice, the water storage barrel is made of transparent material, while the bottom base of the main body is provide with an illuminating lamp to illuminate the water storage barrel, the illuminating lamp is connected with the circuit board,

and the illuminating lamp can generate red light when the heating unit and/or the cooling unit does its heating function, and can generate blue light when the heating unit and/or the cooling unit does its cooling function, in order that a user can clearly recognize whether the water providing outlet is providing hot water or cool water, and the illuminating lamp can provide a beautiful effect of changing of lights.

As compare with the conventional techniques, the present invention has the following advantages:

1. The present invention is saved from being provided with a heat preservation tank or coolness preservation tank, in order that a user can get hot water or ice water instantly by manipulating an operation panel, this can largely reduce exhausted electric quantity and occupied space.

2. The heating plate or cooling plate is lapped over a lateral outside surface of the cavity, when the water for drinking flows through the interior of the heating unit and/or the cooling unit, it will not contact the heating plate or cooling plate directly, thus the heavy metal on the heating plate or cooling plate will not be resolved into the water to harm the human body, this takes care both of sanity/safety of food and the cost of production.

The present invention will be apparent in its objects and features after reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof in reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention:

FIG. 2 is an analytic perspective view of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the first embodiment of a heating unit and/or cooling unit of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the second embodiment of the heating unit and/or cooling unit of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an analytic perspective view showing a heating plate or cooling plate and a cavity of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view showing combination of the cavity with the heating plate or cooling plate of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the third embodiment of the heating unit and/or cooling unit of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing of the fourth embodiment of the heating unit and/or cooling unit of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, the machine for drinking water of the present invention that can instantly heat/cool the water for drinking includes:

a main body 10, a water storage barrel 20, a pump 30 for drawing the water, a heating unit and/or a cooling unit 40 and an electric circuit board 50.

The main body 10 is a rectangular body, its front face is recessed to form a space 11 for taking water for drinking by a user, a water providing outlet 12 is provided above the space 11 forgiving the water, and a water gathering disk 13 is provided below the space 11, the top surface of the main body 10 is provided with an operation panel 14, and a bottom base 15 is provided on the back of the main body 10, the water storage barrel 20 is provided above the bottom base 15.

The water storage barrel 20 is used for storing the water for drinking, a pumping hole 21 is provided on the bottom of the water storage barrel 20 for providing the water for drinking, the pump 30 is provided on the bottom of the main body 10 and is connected with the pumping hole 21 provided on the bottom of the water storage barrel 20 for the purpose of pumping out the water for drinking from inside of the water storage barrel 20 to be discharged from the pumping hole 21. The water storage barrel 20 further is provided therein with a filter 22 for filtering the water for drinking, the water in the water storage barrel 20 is filtered and then is pumped out of the pumping hole 21; certainly, another workable mode for practicing is to have a water outlet of a household water filter connected with the water storage barrel 20.

The heating unit and/or cooling unit 40 is provided on a lateral side of the main body 10 to be connected between the pump 30 and the water providing outlet 12, for the purpose of instantly heating or cooling the water for drinking when it is flowing and passing by the heating unit and/or the cooling unit 40.

The electric circuit board 50 is provided on the bottom of the main body 10 to be connected with the operation panel 14, the pump 30 and the heating unit and/or the cooling unit 40; it can control operating of the operation panel 14, the pump 30 and the heating unit and/or the cooling unit 40.

With the above stated structure, after the user operates the operation panel 14, the pump 30 draws out the water for drinking of the water storage barrel 20 through the pumping hole 21, then renders the water for drinking to flow through the heating unit and/or the cooling unit 40 to be instantly heated or cooled, and to be discharged from the water providing outlet 12 on the main body 10 for drinking by the user; hence the machine for drinking water does not need to be provided with a heat preservation tank or a coolness preservation tank, but the user can get hot water or ice water instantly, this can largely reduce exhausted electric quantity and occupied space.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the heating unit and/or the cooling unit 40 includes a cavity 41 being sealed, and a heating plate or cooling plate 42 which is lapped over a lateral outside surface of the cavity 41, the two ends of the cavity 41 are provided respectively with a water inlet 43 and a water outlet 44 connected with each other via a hollow area of it, the water inlet 43 has an inlet pipe 431 connecting with the pump 30, while the water outlet 44 has an outlet pipe 441 connecting with the water providing outlet 12 on the main body 10, so that the water for drinking flowing from the water storage barrel 20 through the cavity 41 can be instantly heated or cooled by the heating plate or cooling plate 42.

In the drawings, the cavity 41 of the heating unit and/or the cooling unit 40 is provided therein with a plurality of flow disturbing ribs 45 or flow disturbing protrusive rods 46 capable of having the water for drinking heated or cooled uniformly; the flow disturbing ribs 45 or flow disturbing protrusive rods 46 are arranged alternately, in order that the water for drinking can be heated or cooled faster.

By virtue that the heating plate or cooling plate 42 is lapped over a lateral outside surface of the cavity 41, it not only can instantly heat or cool the water for drinking in the cavity 41, but also when the water for drinking flows through the cavity 41, it will not contact the heating plate or cooling plate 42 directly, thus in the process of heating or cooling, the heavy metal on the heating plate or cooling plate 42 will not be resolved into the water to harm the human body.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the heating unit and/or the cooling unit 40 is provided on a side of the cavity 41 confronting to the heating plate or cooling plate 42 with a plurality of fixing rods 411, the heating plate or cooling plate 42 is provided thereon with a plurality of positioning holes 421 to match with and for fixing to the fixing rods 411; after being matched of the cavity 41 with the heating plate or cooling plate 42, nuts or rivets can be used to screw fixing or rivet fixing them together, in order to avoid the heating plate or cooling plate 42 to fall away by expansion and shrinking during heating and cooling of the heating unit and/or the cooling unit 40; when in practicing, the fixing rods 411 can be provided directly on the outside surface of the cavity 41 of the heating unit and/or the cooling unit 40, or can be arranged along a rectangular periphery frame 412 of the cavity 41 for allowing matching with the fixing rods 411.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, wherein the heating unit and/or the cooling unit 40 has both the functions of heating and cooling, it includes a first cavity 41 a being sealed, the heating plate 42 a is lapped over a lateral outside surface of the first cavity 41 a, and a second cavity 41 b being sealed, a cooling plate 42 b is lapped over a lateral outside surface of the second cavity 41 b, the two ends of the first cavity 41 a and the two ends of the second cavity 41 b are provided respectively each with an inlet 43 a, 43 b and an outlet 44 a, 44 b connected with one another (43 a with 43 b and 44 a with 44 b) via the hollow areas of the cavities 41 a and 41 b, the inlets 43 a, 43 b each has an inlet pipe 431 a, 431 b connecting with the pump 30, while the outlets 44 a, 44 b each has an outlet pipe 441 a, 441 b connecting with the water providing outlet 12 on the main body 10, by control of operating of the operation panel 14, a user can control the water for drinking flowing through the first cavity 41 a to be instantly heated by the heating plate 42 a, or can control the water for drinking flowing through the second cavity 41 b to be instantly cooled by the cooling plate 42 b.

And in the drawings, the inlet pipe 431 a of the first cavity 41 a and the inlet pipe 431 b of the second cavity 41 b have between them a 3/2 way solenoid valve 47 connected with the pump 30, the 3/2 way solenoid valve 47 can be controlled by operating of the operation panel 14 to be switched to the inlet pipe 431 a of the first cavity 41 a to connect with the pump 30, or can be controlled by operating of the operation panel 14 to be switched to the inlet pipe 431 b of the second cavity 41 b to connect with the pump 30.

When the user choose to take hot water for drinking, he operates the operation panel 14 to control the 3/2 way solenoid valve 47 to switch the inlet pipe 431 a of the first cavity 41 a to connect with the pump 30, in order that the water for drinking flows into the first cavity 41 a to be heated; alternatively; when the user choose to take cool water for drinking, he operates the operation panel 14 to control the 3/2 way solenoid valve 47 to switch the inlet pipe 431 b of the first cavity 41 b to connect with the pump 30.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the first cavity 41 a and the second cavity 41 b of the heating unit and/or the cooling unit 40 are provided therein respectively with a plurality of flow disturbing ribs 45 a, 45 b or flow disturbing protrusive rods 46 a, 46 b capable of having the water for drinking heated or cooled uniformly; the flow disturbing ribs 45 a, 45 b or flow disturbing protrusive rods 46 a, 46 b are arranged alternately, in order that the water for drinking can be heated or cooled faster.

And as shown in FIG. 2, the water storage barrel 20 is made of transparent material; it is provide further on an outer surface of the water storage barrel 20 with a hand grip 23 for lifting the water storage barrel 20, and has an upper lid 24 for covering the opening of the water storage barrel 20; the bottom base 15 of the main body 10 is provide with an illuminating lamp 60 to illuminate the water storage barrel 20, the illuminating lamp 60 is connected with the circuit board 50; and the illuminating lamp 60 can generate red light when the heating unit and/or the cooling unit 40 does its heating function, and can generate blue light when the heating unit and/or the cooling unit 40 does its cooling function in order that a user can clearly recognize whether the water providing outlet 12 is providing hot water or cool water, and the illuminating lamp 60 can provide a beautiful effect of changing of lights.

The embodiment stated above is only for illustrating the present invention, and not forgiving any limitation to the scope of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in this art that various modifications or changes can be made to the elements of the present invention without departing from the spirit, scope and characteristic of this invention, all these shall also fall within the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A machine for drinking water adapted to instantly heat/cool water for drinking includes: a main body being a rectangular body, its front face is recessed to forma space for taking water for drinking by a user, a water providing outlet is provided above said space for giving water, a top surface of said main body is provided with an operation panel, and a bottom base is provided on a back of said main body; a water storage barrel for storing said water for drinking is provided above said bottom base on said back of said main body, and a pumping hole is provided on a bottom of said water storage barrel for providing said water for drinking; a pump for drawing said water for drinking is provided on a bottom of said main body and is connected with said pumping hole provided on said bottom of said water storage barrel, for a purpose of pumping out said water for drinking from inside of said water storage barrel to be discharged from said pumping hole; a heating unit and/or cooling unit provided on a lateral side of said main body to be connected between said pump and said water providing outlet, for the purpose of instantly heating or cooling said water for drinking which is flowing and passing by said heating unit and/or cooling unit; and an electric circuit board provided on said bottom of said main body to be connected with said operation panel, said pump and said heating unit and/or cooling unit, said electric circuit board is adapted to control operating of said operation panel, said pump and said heating unit and/or cooling unit; after a user operates said operation panel, said pump draws out said water for drinking of said water storage barrel through said pumping hole, then renders said water for drinking to flow through said heating unit and/or cooling unit to be instantly heated or cooled, and to be discharged from said water providing outlet on said main body for drinking by said user.
 2. The machine for drinking water adapted to instantly heat/cool said water for drinking as claimed in claim 1, wherein said heating unit and/or cooling unit includes a cavity being sealed, and a heating plate or cooling plate which is lapped over a lateral outside surface of said cavity, two ends of said cavity are provided respectively with a water inlet and a water outlet connected with each other via a hollow area of said cavity, said water inlet has an inlet pipe connecting with said pump, while said water outlet has an outlet pipe connecting with said water providing outlet on said main body, so that said water for drinking which is flowing from said water storage barrel through said cavity is instantly heated or cooled by said heating plate or cooling plate.
 3. The machine for drinking water adapted to instantly heat/cool said water for drinking as claimed in claim 2, wherein said cavity of said heating unit and/or cooling unit is provided therein with a plurality of flow disturbing ribs or flow disturbing protrusive rods adapted to have said water for drinking heated or cooled uniformly; said flow disturbing ribs or flow disturbing protrusive rods are arranged alternately.
 4. The machine for drinking water adapted to instantly heat/cool said water for drinking as claimed in claim 2, wherein said heating unit and/or cooling unit is provided on a side of said cavity confronting to said heating plate or cooling plate with a plurality of fixing rods, said heating plate or cooling plate is provided thereon with a plurality of positioning holes to match with and for fixing to said fixing rods.
 5. The machine for drinking water adapted to instantly heat/cool said water for drinking as claimed in claim 1, wherein said heating unit and/or cooling unit includes a first cavity being sealed, said heating plate is lapped over a lateral outside surface of said first cavity; and a second cavity being sealed, a cooling plate is lapped over a lateral outside surface of said second cavity, two ends of said first cavity and two ends of the second cavity are provided respectively each with an inlet and an outlet connected with one another via hollow areas of said cavities, said inlets each has an inlet pipe connecting with said pump, while said outlets each has an outlet pipe connecting with said water providing outlet on said main body, by control of operating of said operation panel, a user is allowed to control said water for drinking which is flowing through said first cavity to be instantly heated by said heating plate, or to control said water for drinking flowing through said second cavity to be instantly cooled by said cooling plate.
 6. The machine for drinking water adapted to instantly heat/cool said water for drinking as claimed in claim 5, wherein said inlet pipe of said first cavity and said inlet pipe said of said second cavity have between them a 3/2 way solenoid valve connected with said pump, said 3/2 way solenoid valve is adapted to be controlled by operating of said operation panel to be switched to said inlet pipe of said first cavity to connect with said pump, or is adapted to be controlled by operating of said operation panel to be switched to said inlet pipe of said second cavity to connect with said pump.
 7. The machine for drinking water adapted to instantly heat/cool said water for drinking as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first cavity of the heating unit and/or cooling unit is provided therein with a plurality of flow disturbing ribs or flow disturbing protrusive rods adapted to have said water for drinking heated or cooled uniformly; said flow disturbing ribs or flow disturbing protrusive rods are arranged alternately.
 8. The machine for drinking water adapted to instantly heat/cool said water for drinking as claimed in claim 1, wherein said water storage barrel of said machine for drinking water is provided further on an outer surface of said water storage barrel with a hand grip for lifting said water storage barrel, and has an upper lid for covering said opening of said water storage barrel.
 9. The machine for drinking water adapted to instantly heat/cool said water for drinking as claimed in claim 8, wherein said water storage barrel further is provided therein with a filter for filtering said water for drinking.
 10. The machine for drinking water adapted to instantly heat/cool said water for drinking as claimed in claim 1, wherein said water storage barrel is made of transparent material; said bottom base of said main body is provide with an illuminating lamp to illuminate said water storage barrel, said illuminating lamp is connected with said circuit board; and said illuminating lamp illuminates said water storage barrel when said heating unit and/or cooling unit is in operation. 